A NEW airline service between Southampton and the German city of Munich will start from April.

Commencing on Friday, April 15, the capital of Bavaria and home of global brands including BMW and Siemens will be served 12 times per week by bmi regional from Southampton Airport.

For leisure visitors, Munich is a gateway to the Alps and enjoys year-round appeal ranging from its famous Oktoberfest, the stunning English Garden and spectacular Christmas markets.

Onward connections from Munich with bmi regional mean travellers can tap into other European cities such as Brno (Czech Republic) and Bern (Switzerland).

Jochen Schnadt, bmi’s chief commercial officer, said: “We’re excited to be adding Southampton as new destination to our ever-growing network connecting it to our developing Munich Hub. This new service will further improve bmi regional’s presence in the South and South East, making bmi regional an attractive and value-based choice for customers from the South East of England. The addition of the connectivity from Munich into other European cities will certainly add to our appeal for our guests.”

Dave Lees, Southampton Airport’s managing director, added: “Scheduled air services to Munich have been requested by many businesses, so this is great news.

“Key industries that have links in our two regions include aerospace, advanced engineering and IT. There is also substantial demand from the German market for cruises leaving the Port of Southampton, so these air links will be popular."

The new service will offer two flights per day, Monday to Friday, and one flight on Saturdays and Sundays. One-way fares start at £72. With all passengers enjoying a 20kg checked baggage allowance, complimentary in flight bar and snack service, 30-minute check-in and allocated 2:1 seating, The airline expects this new route to appeal to both leisure and business travellers.